


The Best Tales Start in the Taverna

by Twilit



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 18:50:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/751840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilit/pseuds/Twilit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The breeze was stiff and cool in Bhujerba the day before it all began.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Tales Start in the Taverna

Bhujerba's crisp air came as something of a shock to a Viera whose life had been spent in a humid jungle. Fran merely stood at the entrance to the aerodrome for a long while, taking the foreign city in. A city in the clouds, airships, different races of beings. Such things she had only dreamed about in Eruyt. But now she stood in the midst of such things. Having acquired enough money through the rather pathetic "Hunts" that the Humes posted in their towns, she'd come up here.

She'd missed the last liner leaving the town for the season but had managed to book private passage with a small-time trader for a rather excessive sum. In retrospect, her out-of-character verbosity and inquiries was probably revenge enough. And it had gotten her a great deal of information about moogle-designed aircraft. It was much like caring for the more exotic plants of the jungle, in a twisted, metallic way.

But now she was standing on a flying city, with very little money and no prospects. The price of a healing draught up here had shocked her, she who was used to free healing from the village or crystals. She'd been in the outside world long enough to realize that a Hunter without money was as good as dead. So she headed for the only sensible place for someone with little money and little prospects: the _taverna_.

****

Balthier glared at his moogle mechanics. He wasn't at all pleased with the news they were giving him.

"I have a price on my head and you're telling me to stay put for two days in one of the busiest ports in Ivalice."

"Sorry Cap'n, but we're gonna have to swap the engines in and out. For little moogles, that's hard work!"

Dramatically, Balthier put his fingers to his brow and massaged it. "Fine, fine. I bow to your wisdom and expertise. But if I for some reason don't come back, you know why and don't expect any pay."

"Aw, you're not going to leave the _Strahl_."

Balthier was already on his way out of the aerodrome so the moogles couldn't see his wry smirk, but they took note of his knowing nod. Balthier took his time wandering through Bhujerba, keeping his eyes open for anyone particularly interested in him. True to his nature, however, he was unable to stop from keeping an eye out for the more attractive members of the opposite sex.

And so it happened that his keen pirate eyes caught sight of his latest... booty, as it were. _A Viera!_ , he thought, and was off. She was headed into a _taverna_ , a logical place for him to be anyways, he rationalized. From there he could possibly find out who, if anyone was on his trail. Yes, that sounded all very good and responsible.

****

Fran was by now accustomed to the stares she got wherever she went. Viera simply weren't a common sight outside of their refuges, let alone in Bhujerba. The curious looks she could now ignore and the less savoury she was well capable of dealing with. From the bar she ordered a cocktail to allow her the privilege of spending time in the place and made her way to the posting board. Both looks fell off quickly. Few were stupid enough to tangle with a Hunter. 

There were a few that caught her eye, and coincidentally one whose poster claimed to be waiting in this very _taverna_. She tore it off the board and proceeded to seek him out. In minutes she had accepted the Hunt for some bothersome creature in the Lhusu mines. She retired to a corner to mull over the information that the contact could give her.

She paid no particular notice to the Hume just entering, other than his carefully groomed appearance.

****

She was in the corner, Balthier noticed from the edge of his vision, but he did not immediately go towards her. For one, it occurred to him he had no idea how to approach a Viera. Barring that, etiquette required him to buy a drink. He did so, and was soon casually sipping a small glass of Archadian spirits. And still, he did not approach her.

At a loss, he decided instead to take care of his business. Chatting folks up was a task that he was rather adept at and soon he was embroiled in a raucous discussion of the current doings of pirates across the skies. He kept a meandering eye on the Viera while he listened for mention of himself. She held a torn piece of paper in her hands. His eyes darted over to the Hunt board where he picked out a scrap that matched the tear of what she held.

Well, now he had his approach.

****

Though her eyes were downcast and her thoughts elsewhere, Fran's Viera ears caught everything that was going on in the bar, from the lovers' spat in the opposite corner, to the bartender's orders, to the animated discussion regarding sky pirates. The conversation interested her somewhat, so she bent and ear in that direction. Flying the skies for life sounded fantastic, a dream she’d barely given credence to. 

A life of freedom.

But the piracy bothered her. And she wasn't certain she wanted the notoriety of these pirates. The group was now tossing names around like Reddas, Mijurik, and Darron with easy familiarity as if everyone was expected to know of them. She attracted enough attention as it was.

So engrossed was she in the conversation, she failed to note a Hume break off from it and make his way in her direction. Her senses cued her in to him before he got too close, however. His easy, languid stride told her he was no threat but due to a shift in wind through the shutters, she smelled his rich, spicy liquor before she heard him.

She looked up and fixed him with a stare.

****

Balthier felt a jolt run through him when he looked into those garnet eyes. He was prey at the moment, a most unpleasant situation to be in. So he did what came naturally and turned on the charm.

"Is this seat taken?" He gestured at one across from her.

Her eyes flicked towards it. "It appears no."

Smoothly he slid himself into it and suddenly found himself speared again. He shifted mildly. "I take it you are a Hunter then?"

"Yes. Have you business with me?"

"Oh no, I'm just trying to make conversation. So are you on one now?"

She stood, a most gratifying movement from his position. "Yes. Right now," she said and made to leave.

"Well perhaps I could assist you?"

She stopped and looked at him with incredulity and some bemusement. He almost felt insulted. "You are a Hunter?"

"Well, no, not as such. More a... trader. But I can handle myself. Dangerous things in these skies."

She regarded him for a moment, then turned to leave. "I hunt things more dangerous than sky pirates, trader."

Despite the fact that he had been quite clearly shot down, it was Balthier's turn to be amused. There was little in the world more dangerous than a sky pirate.

****

Time passed and the sun set spectacularly under Bhujerba's horizon. The sky-city was awash in dusk colors and drew her children indoors as the day ended.

At the entrance of Lhusu mines, a more solid shade of red splattered the ground and a wounded Viera staggered up the steps to a crystal. This section of the city had been empty for hours, the miners all gone home so there were none to take even the faintest interest in her. Fran didn't much care.

The healing energies of the crystal closed her wounds but did nothing for her exhaustion. She slumped gracelessly against the blue mineral. She fished through her pack to make sure she had the proof she needed. Arrow-torn pinions from the beast should suffice, she thought. Looking up at the sky, Fran wondered at the time. Would the _taverna_ still be open, the client still there?

Tired out of her mind, she made her way back. She was exhausted enough that her ears drooped on her head, which was, in her opinion, a poor excuse not to hear that many footsteps. She was yanked off balance and into an alleyway. Before they were properly on her, Fran's claws had claimed one's throat and her clawed foot-armor had torn another's thigh raggedly open and blood was everywhere. Then one managed to get the point of a spear up to her throat and she froze.

"You bloody bitch, wait until we're through with you NOW."

"Ye could've made this easy, luv, but now ye've got te pay!"

The remaining two leered at her and Fran's skin crawled. They reeked of hard, acrid liquor and even less savoury substances. Her ears flattened against her skull and then twitched at a soft metallic click from the entrance way.

****

Balthier had had no luck catching on to any rumors of a someone hunting him, nor did he find any wanted posters with his likeness on them. His moogles had apparently managed to coerce a Baanga into helping them, so his _Strahl_ would be ready to fly tomorrow afternoon. He wasn't about to complain. 

And then he heard the scrabbling sounds of a fight in an alleyway. He had fairly well decided to pass it on by when he did in fact pass it and he saw the combatants. His Altair was instantly shouldered and cocked. 

"That's hardly a way to treat a lady."

****

The thugs started at the steely voice, but Fran was prepared. Well, prepared for the interruption, thanks to the gun's tell-tale click, but not for who interrupted. The finely-dressed trader was pointing the business end of one of the Hume race's explosive weapons right at her assailants' faces. 

But Fran was not one to tarry. She batted the spear away from her throat, grabbed a hold of it and wrenched it out of the man's comparatively weak grasp. The man stumbled to the ground and the head of the spear followed him. She plunged it into his back and viciously laid her weight into it. Yanking it back out, she drove it down again with such force it snapped and carried her to her knees.

That was when the red cleared and she became aware of the other man, behind her.

****

Balthier's first shot was ruined by the Viera's blindingly quick reaction and he tarried on the second, caught off guard by her vicious attack. Then he saw the other thug raise his dagger to plunge into the Viera.

Balthier shot his head off.

****

Fran heard the loud crack of gunfire and swore she felt the breeze from the shot kiss her ears. She watched the last Hume tumble to the ground, thinking the angle strange because she couldn't see his head. It became apparent that this was due to the fact that he no longer had one.

She stood.

****

Balthier rested his Altair on his shoulder and looked the mess over.

"Well, you certainly didn't need my help."

The Viera glanced at her bloody claws and then spoke. "No, I did. I thank you."

"Well, do accept my apologies on behalf of my benighted race. Some of us have a vague concept courtesy and decent manners." He looked both ways down the street. "The guard will have heard that shot. We should be off."

He turned to leave and the Viera began to as well but nearly stumbled. She managed to catch herself before she did, but Balthier was too canny to miss it. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"Tired. The Hunt was difficult."

"Well, you look like hell." Balthier stated frankly. "Let's get you cleaned up."

The Viera shook her head. "No. I will deliver the proof." She set out for the _taverna_. Balthier fell in step with her.

"Very well. But then you're getting treated."

She eyed him warily, but made no protest.

****

She walked with the Hume for a while before he started as if he'd realized something.

"The adrenaline must have gotten to me. I've failed to introduce myself. Balthier, at your service."

He stopped for a slight bow. Fran kept walking. After a moment, she replied with, "Fran."

Catching up, the Hume, Balthier now, replied, "Fran? Delightful name. Suitably strong and yet unmistakably feminine. So Fran, what brings you to Bhujerba?"

She was silent and after it became clear that he would receive no answer he was too, mercifully. Their walk to the _taverna_ was similarly so. Inside, her client was getting deep into his cup and rather shocked at her rapid resolution of the Hunt. He noticed and was about to comment on her bloody claws when Balthier smoothly interjected,

"Yes, amazing, she took the beast out with her bare hands." Which gave her a wide berth of respect and fixed the attention on the question of what Balthier was doing there with her. He rose to the occasion grandly and she slipped away. Securing a room upstairs with her reward, she retired for the night. She managed to clean the blood off her claws and shuck her boots. Tossing her headgear and bracers with the rest of it, she collapsed onto the bed. It had been a very long day and she-

Someone was knocking at her door and she had half an idea who it would be. Maybe if she ignored him...

The knocking contiued.

****

"Come now Fran, you must be hungry after all that? Why not at least eat what I've brought!"

Balthier waited for a response to that, and sure enough the door opened to an irritated face. He offered the platter that held two sandwiches, a cocktail that he'd gotten the bartender to remember and small bottle of his Archadian spirits. The offering also covered sliding his foot into the door. Fran eyed the goods and then looked at him.

"You persist."

"I do."

She was silent at that for a moment. Very reserved. _I wonder if all Viera are like this._ His thoughts did not get a chance to continue as she turned away and left the door open. Smiling broadly, he slipped in and shut the door. He followed her as she sat at a small table. He set the platter down and took the other chair.

Fran lifted the top piece of bread and regarded the contents. She wrinkled her nose and scraped off the liberally-applied sauces. _I'll have to remember that_. But she bit into the rest with gusto. Balthier allowed himself a smile and poured himself glass before starting on his own.

They ate in silence and despite Fran's voracious appetite, Balthier finished before her. She nipped delicately at her food and if he were a coarser man, he might compare her to a rabbit. Silence was something that did not sit well with the Hume.

"You look different without your armor." He offered. She flicked her garnet gaze at him again and once more he was prey. He found himself missing the regard she held him with a few minutes ago.

"More free." That got something of a reaction out of her.

"Free?" she asked, finishing her meal. She picked up the cocktail and began to suck it down, giving little heed to its alcohol content.

"Your hair, mostly." Balthier felt out of place. He was usually much smoother in these situations. Her cocktail finished, Fran smacked her lips and looked at his bottle. She snatched it up and poured some into her glass. She gave it a taste and failed to cough as he did his first time.

"What do you want Balthier?"

"I? I only want to make conversatio-"

"Liar." The word curled out of her lips like smoke, a soft growl that immediately arrested him.

"Excuse me?"

"I can smell it on you. Under the scent of you, the scent that smells like this alcohol." She tossed the rest back and sighed, presumably at the warmth firing through her body. "You are nervous Balthier."

At the moment, he could not dispute that fact, but neither could he honestly say why. He was never nervous like this. To cover his lack of a response he calmly poured her more and topped himself up.

"Like that, so calm and smooth. Smooth Balthier, immaculate Balthier." Fran went on, her words short and precise. She took a more moderate sip. "That is how you see yourself, how you appear. But that is not what I smell."

She got up and made her way to other side of the room, glass in hand. Balthier followed cautiously. It was becoming clear this was out of his control now. But he was not about to give up.

"And you? You were taciturn enough before, but now you seem to have quite a lot to say. And judging by how you handled that _chivas_ , it can't be the alcohol speaking."

Fran turned to face him and he noticed that she did not quite tower over him anymore, out of her boots. But for all that she was still taller, and fiercer in visage besides. He determined not to quail and took a sip.

"I was tired. The food has given me vigor, but I need sleep as well."

The Viera finished her drink. "This liquor is delicious." She licked her lips and held the empty glass up to the moonlight. She looked at him sideways. "Are you?"

Balthier put his glass to his lips and drank to quell his rapidly beating heart. He was sure she could hear it. _Why the bloody hell am I so nervous?_

Further attempts to think were quite handily dealt with as the Viera advanced and knocked the glass from his mouth and covered it with hers. The heady spice of the _chivas_ filled their mouths and throats, set their tongues alight. Balthier's mind may have shut down but his body was in familiar territory and his arms enfolded her.

Familiar territory was left behind quite suddenly when she grabbed his buttocks, pinching him with her claws and lifted him bodily onto the bed.

****

The rest of the night was hot and exquisite, satisfying and searing, and filled with sex. The cheap sheets of the inn were rent by Viera claws and Balthier's skin achingly accepted similar treatment when they arched into climax. It was worth it, he decided, for her later labial nursing.

****

The next morning Fran silently slid into her armor and boots before getting her pack ready to go. She was not comfortable here any more. Certainly, she wanted last night, had needed it. She had enjoyed herself, clawed out her stresses of the day before, kissed and licked away the marks she had left on him, and relaxed into Balthier's kneading touch. But now she was entirely unsure of what to do. Rare were the times Viera mated, even for release or pleasure. Balthier slept soundly and she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her relative youth, combined with the emotions whirling inside her could cause her to do something she would regret.

So she made quietly for the door. Which, quite unexpectedly, burst open with two men, a Baanga and a Hume yelling at the top of their lungs. 

"Time to face the music, sky-pirate!"

Both were staring at a blearily awake Balthier and both were levelling weapons at him. Millennia of Viera instincts screamed _protect the breeder!_ at Fran and before she quite knew what she was doing, she had rushed them and was tackling them out of the window. They crashed in a shower of splinters and glass into the street below.

Where apparently, the rest of the two bounty hunters’ group waited for them. A wide variety of weapons levelled themselves at Fran who rolled backwards and was firing off her short bow before she even come erect. At least four of the bounty hunters went down in her initial barrage. Two rushed her and her arrows felled a Hume before the Baanga with a sword leapt upon her, knocking her to the ground.

Nightmare images of the previous evening flashed through her mind as she struggled to keep his sword from plunging down. She tried to grab and crush his throat, but his neck was too wide and naturally armoured for her to do any damage.

And then the street was rocked by a deafening explosion and body parts toppled by them. The Baanga looked back in disbelief at the crater where half his group had once stood. Two Baanga had survived, and just barely. Everyone else was dead.

"Hey you brute! Have you forgotten the leading man? I thought you came here for me!" Balthier stood shirtless on the roof of the first floor of the _taverna_ with his gun levelled at the Baanga on top of her. For the first time she managed to properly process that they had been referring to him as a sky pirate. In his other hand Balthier casually tossed and caught a handbomb. He had a dangerous look about him, like a cornered couerl intent on survival. The sneer on his face looked enough like a snarl.

"Balthier..." The Baanga growled. "Come down from there or-"

"Oh come off it you scaly bastard. There's only one way this is going to happen, so listen closely. The Viera goes free. And so do I. Or I blow your last two compatriots into giblets as well."

The Baanga straightened and trembled in anger. Which was enough for Fran to pull her legs to her chest and kick the bounty hunter off her with both feet. Smoothly turning the kick into a kip-up, she was on her feet in an instant, her bow trained on him. Backing away, she heard a thud, followed by a muttered curse from behind her and surmised Balthier was now ground level.

"Now after that, I strongly suggest we take our leave." And he ran off in the direction of the aerodrome. Against her better judgement, Fran followed. Behind them, the Baanga shouted after them,

"This won't be the last you've heard of me Balthier! So swears Ba'gammon!"

Balthier pointed his gun over his shoulder and fired blindly. Fran's gaze whipped around to see the shot ping off the ground next to the Baanga and then whip back to stare at the Hume in front of her. Sky pirates, apparently, were dangerous foes.

****

Up the steps of the the aerodrome the two raced and into its cool halls. Fran began to break off to one of the ticket counters but Balthier grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.

"This way, to the _Strahl _."__

__"Your ship?"_ _

__"Aye. Best set of wings in the sky."_ _

__"What did you do get a bounty on your head?"_ _

__"Oh, well, er, I may have robbed an Archadian military convoy blind, laid low several Judges and blown the ships to pieces."_ _

__Fran was again quiet for a moment before stating, "You are insane."_ _

__"No, dear Fran, the insane do what they do at random. I, at least, have a reason."_ _

__"What is that?"_ _

__"Among other things, the freedom of the skies." His clear eyes flashed cloudy and she knew that was not the end of it._ _

__Another corner and they were suddenly in a hanger. Fran's breath caught in her throat as the ship came into view. Slowing to a reverent walk she took in all of the _Strahl_ 's sleek lines. Where other ships were steel grey and dull or brightly painted, this craft shone in bronze and pearl. Where other ships tried to emulate birds and came off looking hamfisted, the _Strahl_ looked self-possessed in its grace, utterly uncaring of the opinions of the world, let alone physicks. A pack of moogles were slamming down a hatch in the back, suggesting this craft was of moogle manufacture. In the ship’s entrance way, Balthier turned and extended an open hand,_ _

__"Well, Huntress, can I tempt you into the blue sky with me?"_ _

__The air was remarkably still for the havoc they had just caused. A stiff, crisp wind wound its way through the hanger and Fran stared at Balthier's open hand and then at his face. Her judgement struggled with the pull of her heart towards this man, towards this ship, towards the sky. She searched his face for some deciding quality that would end this torturous moment. His lips supplied it._ _

__"Please? I believe I need you..."_ _

__He seemed so much younger and unsure at that moment, sheepish in his honesty. On his face lay none of his earlier cockiness or lethality, only hope and a promise of endless skies. Her heart folded in on itself and swelled in her breast, all at once. Stepping forwards, she reached out hesitantly and he leaned out. Lightly she rested her hand in his and gently he took it._ _

__She pulled herself aboard and it all began._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Before those of you who have been around the block a few times jump me, yes, this is a repost of mine from an lj comm, no I did not steal it.
> 
> A few adjustments have been made to match my headcanon and my more wordy Ivalician style.


End file.
